Landmark Communications has distributed information to potential bidders on Dominion Enterprises, its portfolio of advertising websites and publications, now that its attempt to sell The Weather Channel is nearing its final stages.

The Weather Channel auction, which could fetch $3bn to $4bn, has come down to two bidders - Time Warner, and a consortium consisting of NBC Universal, Bain Capital and Blackstone, according to people close to the process. Now, privately-held Landmark is turning its focus towards the possible sale of its other media holdings.

The Batten family, which owns Norfolk, Virginia-based Landmark, said in January that it might sell off the company's various businesses. Along with The Weather Channel, these include a range of daily US newspapers, television and internet assets, and Dominion Enterprises.

Dominion's assets range from trade magazines and classified publications to real estate and travel websites, such as Homes.com, EmploymentGuide.com and Traderonline.com.

The company, which operates as a Landmark subsidiary and was formerly known as Trader Publishing, could sell for roughly $1.4bn, according to one person familiar with its finances. Landmark and former Trader Publishing co-owner Cox Enterprises divided up Trader's assets in 2006.

A range of private equity firms are likely to take an interest in the asset, one person close to the process said. Dominion's performance has suffered lately, because of its heavy exposure to the real estate, job search and automotive markets.

Landmark, which was founded by the Batten family in 1904, has roughly $1.8bn in annual revenue.

Its sale of The Weather Channel and other assets, if they are executed, could add several links to a long chain of family-owned media properties that have gone on the auction block in recent years.

The most high-profile recent sale, perhaps, was the Bancroft family's sale of Dow Jones to Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.